March 21 is the bid deadline for 2006 U S Beach and Sombo Nationals along with the Board meeting and State Leaders Conference

Tuesday, March 21 is the deadline for event bids to be submitted from organizing committees who wish to host the 2006 USA Wrestling Beach National Championships, along with the 2006 USA Wrestling Sombo National Championships.

These events are scheduled to be held August 18-19, 2006. This is a different date than from the initial bid materials.

Beach Wrestling was added as a new style of international wrestling, starting in 2005. Athletes compete on sand, in a style that features takedowns within a ring.

Sombo is a style of competition that has similarities to judo and wrestling, and has been reinstated as an international style of wrestling this year. Sombo was included in international wrestling until the mid-1980s, when the international wrestling federation

These two events will serve as the qualifiers for the U.S. team that will compete at the World Beach Wrestling Championships and the World Sombo Championships, set for Antalya, Turkey, Oct. 13-15.

In addition to these two events, USA Wrestling will also conduct its semi-annual Board of Directors meeting in the city which is hosting the Beach and Sombo Nationals. These are the volunteer leaders that set the direction for USA Wrestling and represent all apects of the wrestling community.

USA Wrestling will also conduct its annual State Leaders Conference in the city which hosts the Beach and Sombo Nationals. This annual meeting brings together state leaders from each of the USA Wrestling state associations, who attend workshops and seminars and network together to help expand and improve USA Wrestling's programs and activities.

To receive more information on the events and activities included, or to receive a copy of the bid packet, contact Chris Moen of USA Wrestling at 719-598-8181 or via e-mail at cmoen@usawrestling.org,